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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Syrian troops, aided by a Homs-based pro-government militia the ‘Falcons of the Desert’ and under the cover of Russian air support, entered al-Raqqa Province from Hama for the first time in two years on Saturday. The southern half of al-Raqqa province is one of two major […]

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Sufi Boxer Muhammad Ali’s last fight was against Extremism & Politicians’ Islamophobia

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Boxer Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, on 17 January 1942, is dead at 74. Ali was on the US team for the Rome Olympics in 1960, and became the Olympic light-heavyweight champion. He and the team were lionized when he came back. […]

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Baghdad advances on Fallujah but “slows down” for fear of Civilian Casualties

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi said Thursday that his troops were in position to move into the city of Fallujah from the south, after advances made during the past two days, but that he would “slow down” the assault for fear of civilians trapped in the […]

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As US/ Kurdish force Moves on ISIL at Manbij, Turkey goes Ballistic

contributors

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The left-leaning Beirut daily al-Safir (Ambassador) points out that less than two weeks after the Syrian Democratic Forces announced their campaign against al-Raqqa, the capital of the phony caliphate of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), the SDF instead has veered off to the west in a bid to […]

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ISIL counter-attack in Fallujah: can Iraqi Forces maintain momentum?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The London pan-Arab daily al-Hayat [Life] reports that Iraqi troops are advancing on Fallujah despite facing fierce resistance from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) . At the same time, fear is mounting abot the fate of the tens of thousands of non-combatants inside the city who are caught […]

Bill of Rights

Dear Mr. Holder: Why Ed Snowden can’t get a Fair Trial in your National Security State

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Former US Attorney General Eric Holder said in an interview that what NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden did was illegal but added “”We can certainly argue about the way in which Snowden did what he did, but I think that he actually performed a public service […]

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On Memorial Day, US Troops at War with ISIL near Mosul

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Memorial Day, it is as well to remember that US troops are still at war. Afghanistan is our nation’s longest such military engagement. But although there are only about 3,000 troops in Iraq and just a couple hundred in Syria, they are at the front […]

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Modern Mongols: Sunni Arabs outraged at Iran role in Iraqi Gov’t Fallujah Campaign

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – BBC Monitoring surveyed the Arabic press on 27 May for the issue of the Iranian role in the Iraq government campaign to take Fallujah from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). Although Saudi and other newspapers say they want to see Daesh defeated, they are deeply critical of the […]

Barack Obama

Obama in Hiroshima, Memorial Day and the Iran Deal

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – President Obama in Hiroshima gave an anti-war speech. He said, ” But among those nations like my own that hold nuclear stockpiles, we must have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without them. We may not realize this goal in […]